A Slice of Life
by kon-KON
Summary: -AU- She thought that life would be forever boring when she was stuck as a teacher in an elementary school. But it wasn't so bad, especially when she gets to meet some gorgeous fathers like him. Kagura/Sesshoumaru. A Bit Sango/Miroku and Inuyasha/Kagome.
1. First Day of School

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.**

**A/N: Hey everybody! It's been forever, I know. I re-edit the chapters [so far up to chapter 3] because it had MANY mistakes, and I couldn't just update more without fixing the previous chapters. So, I've made it better. : D I will edit the otherd and post them sometime this week. THEN, I'll update. Sorry for the wait, a lot went on. **

A Slice of Life

- - - - -  
Chapter One: First Day of School  
- - - - -

"So... first day of school eh, _Teacher_?"

What are you suppose to do when you meet the father of a student you teach and have the undeniable for him?

"You do _not_ have to emphasize the word 'teacher'," Kagura hissed into the phone. "Seriously Kagome, I get where you're trying to take this."

"Don't take it the other way, girlfriend," Kagome Higurashi said in a sorry tone. "I was just teasing, although I do realize that it's getting less and less hilarious each year. I guess we are all getting used to that fact that you became a teacher and not a CFO."

Yes, this was the story of Kagura Yano's life. She initially became too wild in college to realize that in the end she didn't have enough credentials to become any company's CFO. So, instead of wasting the rest of the years in the same field, she used her math credits to make her way into teacher's college and became a math teacher. Or according to her students, she was a bitching math teacher.

Of course, the grades four to six wouldn't use the term 'bitching' [well at least not all of them] so in their dictionary it was plain 'mean'. It was Kagura's fault really. She tried to be a nice teacher who everyone liked, but then she realized that being a soft teacher, children usually didn't listen to you. So without even trying, she became the 'mean' and 'harsh' teacher throughout the first year of teaching. That was three years ago. She was soon-to-be a twenty-eight year old and was starting her fourth teaching year today.

"Oh, Kagura," Sango [the 'nicest' teacher in the whole school] entered the staff room. "You're early," she gave Kagura a smile, which she returned. Sango taught History and why the students loved her, Kagura could understand that, she actually was a very nice person. "Oh, you're on the phone, carry on, don't mind me."

Kagura turned her attention to her best friend, Kagome, again who was still yapping.

"…this year you should try to be nice to your students," Kagura waited for Sango to leave before answering Kagome.

_Like that's gonna happen. _"Nice? Students don't listen to you when you're nice," she spat out. "They will like you, yes, but will they do as you ask them to do? No. I don't teach the grades one to three Kagome. I teach the older kids, the devils, they will not listen unless you are firm to them. I don't expect you to understand, you're not a teacher."

"No, but I was once a student," Kagome argued. "And so were you. Do you really want to be like that cold hearted history teacher?"

"You and I met in college," Kagura rolled her eyes. "I don't know who that teacher is or was but if that teacher was anything like Kikyo, then, I guess I know what you're talking about."

"Yes!" Kagome exclaimed. "Perfect example, I met her twice and I donno how you guys even stand her."

"By ignoring all the bitchy and sour things –that usually comes out in a normal tone— she says," Kagura sighed. "And she teaches English of all subjects, her perfect companion in my opinion, who likes literature?"

Kagome laughed at that. "OK. I gotta go. Listen, just try to be nice okay? It's gonna turn out be the same as every year anyways, you being titled the 'meanest' teacher, so a little trying wouldn't hurt you."

"Fine, to throw it back at your face, I will try." Kagura glared at the wall in front of her since she couldn't see her friend.

"Good Luck!"

Kagura hung up the phone and stood up. The school year always started with an assembly where all the staff and the students reported to the big gymnasium which had the stage. Then the teachers would take each of their homeroom classes to their classrooms where the grades were to stay the whole year.

She checked her reflection on the small mirror on her desk and smirked. She may be the 'meanest' teacher but at least she wasn't the 'ugliest' teacher. In fact, she was voted the 'prettiest' teacher in her second year. Last year was Sango and she couldn't remember who it was on her first year. Either Sara or Kikyo.

Damn that bitch, who would want her as their 'pretty' teacher? Kagura smoothed out her skirt, held her chin high in air and left the staff room. The halls were quiet this early in the morning, so she was happy to hear the sound of her heels clicking the silent hall. She loved that sound. It was her trademark sound. Everyone knew it was her when they heard heels clicking.

Of course she wasn't the only one who wore heels, but apparently every female teacher had a different sound, it depended on their shoes. Sango's often were quiet sounding heels, barely noticeable. Kikyo's usually didn't make any sound at all, she often bought those quiet pads and stick them under her shoes so they didn't make any sound. Kagura always thought it was to sneak up on people. Sara's often were more teacher-like sounding heels, not too loud, not too quiet.

Kagura liked her heels loud, they made her happy.

When she finally reached Gym 1, everyone who was in the gym, upon hearing the sound of her heels, turned to look at her. This was why she liked her shoes loud, recognition. She hid a smirk and greeted all of the people who were in the gym. Her red eyes scanned everyone in the gym: Sango, Kikyo, Sara [she taught Geography], Bankotsu [Gym], Ginta [Music], Kouga [Science; he used to have a crush on Kagome which apparently died], Mutotsu [Art], Kaede [The principal] and Eri [The Vice-Principal, she went to high school with Kagome].

"All set for the assembly?" Kagura asked just to make a conversation.

"Of course," Kaede said in a pleasant tone. "Thank you all for coming in early this morning. I suppose everything is ready?" She got what seemed like a mixtures of 'of course' and 'absolutely'. "Great, we can all go and do what we need to do."

In an hour, the school was filled with students, some new, and some returning back. They were all guided in the Gym and were seated on the floor [which was thoroughly cleansed in the morning] besides their teachers [teachers get to sit on plastic chairs], chairs which, in Kagura's opinion, were uncomfortable.

Kagura's homeroom grade this year was grade four, thirty kids between the age eight to nine. Penfield Public School was separated in three parts [same building]. The kindergarten, the grade one to three, and the grade four to six. Kagura often taught four to six, she stayed away from the age seven and below. She had planned to teach the grades seven and eight until she found out that the school she got the job in was only up to grade six, she though about switching but something made her stay in this school.

Penfield Public School was the best elementary school in the city maybe that was the reason.

Kagura's homeroom this year was full of new faces, which meant her remembering names. This wasn't bad if you were talking about two or three people, but thirty different names all at once could be stressing. When the assembly was done, she took her class to the classroom and they all seated at the seats.

Now she had actually assigned the certain seat to a certain person but remembering Kagome's advice of trying to be nice, she threw the seat planner in the garbage and took out a new one.

"Good morning class," she pointed at her name she had written earlier on the board. "My name is Miss Yano, I'm your homeroom teacher and this is now your homeroom class this year. Now, if any of you want to switch seats, do it now before I make it permanent." When everyone was seated again she continued. "Seat changes with be at the start of each term, however, if I realize that one of you guys are talking to your neighbour a little too much, you will be moved. So if you want your seats to last, do not talk too much."

Many faces nodded.

"Now if you guys want to change seats, whatever the problem is, talk to me before or after class. The lockers are at the back of the class, as you all know. Later on, I will pass around two blank stripes of paper to each of you, print both first and your last names on it clearly. One is for your locker's and other is for your desk which you will tape on. For now, let's take attendance so I can fill this desk map."

After finishing attendance Kagua continued with the rest of the explanation on her check list. When the first bell rang for the second period, Kagura gathered her things and headed toward her next destination. When it was time for lunch, she was already tired.

"Is it just me or everyone is tired?" She heard Sara ask as she entered the staff room.

"You're not the only one," she heard Bankotsu reply and she went and sat on her desk. "The day seems so much longer."

"Since you aren't sleeping in like you did all summer," this one was from Sango.

"You didn't go with the alphabetic order this year Kagura," this one was from Kikyo. Kagura wanted to throw the whole none-of-your-business in her face but decided to be nice.

_That is none of your business. _"I got the grade fours this year; those faces are new faces, so I don't know which of them are troublemakers and which of them are bullies. I figure by letting them sit where they want, I could make it easier for me to catch on," Kagura said. It was partially true, only partially. Kagura could spot them anywhere, it was her gift.

"Excellent idea Kagura," this one came from Sara.

"I never thought of it that way," from Sango.

"Hmpf," from Kikyo.

Kagura ate in silence for the rest of the lunch, only since she was too hungry to disturb her meal to talk to anyone. The rest of the afternoon flew quickly; Kagura went back to her homeroom class for the last ten minutes until the end of the first day to hang out important notices for the parents.

"Now class," she sat at her desk. "The papers I just gave out, make sure you give them to your parents. They are about the student fees and the parent-teacher interview in two weeks. Make sure you bring back the interview forms soon with a time; and for the fees, check or cash. Do not lose them guys, they are important. Understood?" All nodded. "Now there are five minutes left to the day, you guys can chat until the bell." She heard bunch of 'yay' and then sudden chatter.

Well, Kagura decided. Trying things differently wasn't that bad.

The bell rang and in fifteen minutes the school was empty except a few kids here and there waiting for parents to come and pick them up. Kagura was sitting in the classroom planning out the next week of work when she heard soft footsteps coming her way. She look up from the papers and saw Rin Tamaki [full name Karin, but according to her, only used in documents].

"You still here?" Kagura asked. "It's been forty-five minutes since school ended. Did no one come?" The brown haired girl shook her head, she looked like she was at the verge of crying.

"My driver Jaken usually comes fifteen minutes before the bell. He's not here today."

Ah, a rich kid, Kagura thought.

"Can I call him?" she asked in a small voice.

"Of course," Kagura stood up and went to the phone beside the blackboard a little too high for the girl to reach. "What's the number?" She dialled the number, told by Rin, and handed her the receiver.

"He's stuck in traffic on the highway."

"Is there anyone else you can call?"

"My dad," Rin gave her father's phone number and she dialled it for her. "Daddy, Jaken is struck in traffic. Can you come pick me up?... Okay."

She handed the receiver back to Kagura and smiled.

"Daddy said he'll be here in fifteen minutes," her eyes lifted in happiness.

Kagura smiled, the girl was definitely adorable.

"Well it started raining a while ago, so why don't we stay here until your dad comes?" Rin nodded. Kagura didn't know what to say to the kid then her teacher instincts kicked in. "So, do you like your seat?" The girl nodded again.

"It's in the front, I like it," she announced. "Sometimes I have trouble seeing, but doctor said that my eyes are good, but sometimes the heat makes it hard to see."

"I see," Kagura made a mental note not to seat the kid in the back in future. Ten minutes passed with Rin talking and Kagura mostly listening until she suggested they go see if her dad had come. They went and sat down on the bench in the lobby, after a few minutes, she saw a black car pull into the driveway in front of the school and a few seconds later, a tall man exit. It was too rainy to see the man's face but the way Rin squirmed in happiness, it was her dad. Mr. Tamaki.

When he entered the lobby, Kagura made sure that her mouth wasn't hanging open. The man was simply gorgeous, he was wearing a dark suit, and had silky looking hair and eyes that she noticed were golden when he reached them. Breathtaking.

Breath, Kagura reminded herself. Breath.

He ran a hand through his hair, slicking his bangs back. His eyes met hers and Kagura felt her heart skip a beat. She forced her attention to the girl and asked her the silent question in one look: _Is this your dad?_

"This is my dad Miss," the bright girl gave Kagura and bright smile and hugged her attractive dad's legs.

"How do you do?" Kagura offered him a handshake. "I'm Kagura Yano, homeroom teacher."

"Sesshoumaru Tamaki," he shook her hand with a firm shake, his hands were big and strong compared to hers. "Thank you for waiting with my daughter," he said letting go of her hand. Kagura missed the warmth of it.

"It's nothing," Kagura said, hoping she sounded professional. "It's my job that my students are safe until they leave the school, with the right people." Sesshoumaru 'Yummy' Tamaki nodded.

He grabbed his kid's backpack from the bench, "We will be leaving now, good night." He gave her another firm nod.

"Good night," Kagura said as she watched the father and the daughter leave the school. To not appear as a stalker who watches people leave, she quickly turned and was about to walk back to her classroom when she saw Kaede coming.

"Was that Sesshoumaru?" was the first sentence out of her mouth.

Okay, she wasn't going to ask how she knew him.

"Yes, he came to pick up his daughter since the driver couldn't make it," Kagura explained. "You know him?"

_Well so much for not asking_, her inner voice teased her.

"His brother Inuyasha dated Kikyo a few years ago," the principal of the school joined Kagura in her walk to her classroom. "Good chaps, both of them."

Right. Kaede was Kikyo's aunt.

"I thought you were leaving," Kagura reminded her, desperately wanting to be away from the woman. She was a good woman, but Kagura wasn't in the mood for her long talk. Even if it included the hunky dad that just came and left.

"Oh heavens, I was. Go home child, it's the first day. No need to stay after on the first day. Most left already." Kagura nodded and watched the older woman leave. She organized her things on the desk in the classroom, locked it and then headed toward the staff room. She bumped into Kagome on the way.

"You're on time," Kagura teased. "For once."

"Ha ha," Kagome rolled her eyes. "You're funny; did I ever tell you you're funny?"

"Lets gather my things from the staff room, why don't you come in this time. Most of the staff left."

"Sure." They only found Sango in the staff room, sitting on her desk staring at an open magazine. She didn't seem to notice that they came in. Curious, both Kagura and Kagome peeked over Sango's head to see what she was reading. It was a full page picture of the pretty boy Miroku Zana, the famous CFO. Even Kagura had to admit, he was attractive with his black hair and violet flirty eyes.

"He's attractive. I work with him at the moment," Kagome said. Sango gasped and shut the magazine and stared at them. "Sorry, we didn't mean to peek, just, you didn't notice us come in so…" Kagome looked at Kagura for help who avoided her eyes. "He's a real player, hits on every woman he sees, pretty or not. He hit on me too on my first day. I'm from an accountant temp angency. I'm working with him at the moment." She repeated.

It was all coming together for Kagura now. Kagome worked in Sesshoumaru Tamaki's company partnered by his half brother Inuyasha. Inuyasha was the guy Kagome had the crush on and was the one she'd been blabbering about for weeks. And Miroku worked as the head CFO in the same company.

_Small world, _her inner voice chipped in. Two crushes from people she knew worked at the same workplace.

"He's a real one huh?" Kagura asked Kagome.

"Yeah, he number one on the list."

"What?" Sango asked, confused.

"Player," Kagura answered. "There are three types. One: a real womanizer, spends each night with a different woman, or women. Two is the type that just wants to be seen with women, in other words, is gay and doesn't want the world to know. Last one is more of the Batman personality. Is not a player but likes the world to see him as a player but in real life is either in love with the one woman he can't have or just plain wants the world to know him as a different person than he actually is."

Sango's face fell, "Yeah, I did hear he was a womanizer."

Okay, so now Kagura felt a little guilty. She looked at Kagome for help.

"Look…" Kagura mouthed Sango's name to Kagome. "…Sango. We didn't mean to ruin your evening like this. We are going out to eat, would you like to join us?"

"Oh…I don't want to interrupt your dinner," she looked between thrilled to worried.

"No interruption. It's just women having dinner and chatting," Kagura put in. "Join us."

**Drop a note, if you want.**

**kon-KON**


	2. The First and the Second Meeting

A Slice of Life

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Chapter Two: The First and the Second Meeting  
- - - - -

"From what Kaede told me, Inuyasha dated Kikyo a few years ago," Kagura said as she ate dinner with Kagome and Sango at her usual restaurant.

"What!" Kagome smashed down her knife on the table which earned a few glances from people eating around them. "Why would he do that! She's a cold bitch!" She looked at Sango. "Sorry Sango, if you like her then…uh."

"I feel bad that I'm saying this but no one likes her, we just tolerate her," Sango said. "She's cold. Most of the times, she barely bother answering anyone."

"Exactly, so why?" Kagome looked at Kagura.

"I don't have a penis. Meaning I'm not a man, which most certainly does not make me Inuyasha. So in simple language, I don't know," Kagura snapped. "For goodness sake ladies, stop it. Don't you two have pride? Stop dying over men. Especially for one," she looked at Sango, "who don't even know you exist," then looked at Kagome, "and won't even show a little bit interest in you."

"Maybe…he's waiting for me to make the first move," Kagome suggested.

"Are you in high school?" Kagura snapped. "Don't you have pride? You do not make the first move, period! You go in front of him looking good and you keep your conversation professional, you make him wonder hard if you're interested. You don't throw yourself at him, or wait for him to look at you. You do the honour of showing him what he's missing by _not_ noticing you."

"And Sango," she turned her attention toward the other woman. "Same thing; you go in front of the womanizer looking irresistible, and you show him you exist. But unlike other women, you don't show _any_ interest in him. You shoo him away as if he's a fly, an insect trying to get in your food. Good looking men are used to having women throw themselves at 'em without even trying. You show them you're not interested and this guy will come for you. Men like him love challenge, they think they can have any woman. So you make him come for you."

"Oh," Sango took all in. "So I just show up where he is and show no interest?"

_That's what I said. _"Yes, Kagome works at that building for now. Use her as an excuse to go there," she pointed at Kagome. "Don't wait long, she's not going to work there forever."

"Yeah, I'm there for two more weeks," Kagome said. "Kagura you really think I can get him interested in only two weeks?"

"Just go there looking fabulous. Then even if you move to a different place, he will realize you're gone and will try to find you."

"But if he rejects?" Sango asked.

"You reject him first," Kagome said. "That's what Kagura does with break up. As soon as you notice the guy is not interested anymore, you dump him first."

"You've never been dumped before?" Sango asked amazed.

"Only once, and that chicken-shit did it over an_ email_ or all things. That was in high school. So after that, I do it first. I have my pride you know; when I do it first I don't feel like such a loser."

"Ouch," the other two women said at the same time.

"It's the truth. It may be bitter and it may hurt but it is the truth."

"I don't know what to wear," Sango confessed after a week as they were packing their belongings after school. "I was planning to go there today, but I didn't know what to wear."

"After school?" Kagura asked when they exit the staff room.

"Yeah," Sango said. "Or should I go at lunch?"

"I would recommend lunch, only because I don't know until when that guy works."

"Kagome said either four or five."

"Oh. In that case, after school tomorrow? We can make it before four."

"No, no no no!" Sango quickly said. "I don't even know what to wear yet. Could you help me?"

"Sure, I guess. But you have to feed me in exchange, I'm ravenous."

Sango giggled. "Sure."

"Can you tell me why you dragged me along?" Kagura asked annoyingly for the fifth time the next day as she was forced to accompy Sango as she drove to the building where Miroku worked.

And for the fifth time, Sango answered. "Because I'm too nervous to come alone," she smiled at her while driving. "You can give me some courageous thoughts."

"I can give you courageous thoughts from home," Kagura bit out.

"You know what I mean. I need courage, so you're here to deliver it." Sango smiled again without looking at Kagura. "I must say, I feel pretty."

"That's because you're wearing things my way," Kagura flipped her hair over the shoulder. "With style."

"You know," Sango started. "For a bitter and self- praising woman, you're not half bad. You're pretty nice."

_I prefer bold and sexy, not to mention beautiful. _"And here I thought you were the nicest person I met," Kagura sourly said.

"I'm sorry," Sango apologized quickly. "I get mean when I'm nervous."

They arrived at the huge building and Sango parked the car in the first floor of the basement parking lot.

"Okay, come on," Sango said getting out of the car.

"Whoa, there," Kagura let out a monotonous laugh. "No one said anything about me _actually_ going in there with you."

"Why are you suddenly jumpy?" Sango looked at her confusingly.

_Because the guy who made my nerves jump - at the first meeting- is in there,_ was what she wanted to say."Sesshoumaru Tamaki works in this building. Simplifying: he owns this building and I'm the homeroom teacher of his kid. I will not go in there looking unprofessional, and giving off the vibe that I _might_ have come to stalk him," Kagura looked ahead. "So I understand your nervousness, but I'm _staying_ in the car."

"Okay, fine." Sango said, handing Kagura the keys of her car and disappeared into the parking lot's elevator.

Kagura sighed and stared at the elevator for long moments. Ten minutes seemed to have passed and no one had come out of the elevator.

For how long did these people worked?

_Do they are live her?_

_Maybe, most of the people are parked in the other parking floors_, her inner voice put in.

"Well, at least one person should come up this floor," she answered back very aware of the fact that she was having a conversation with herself.

_Maybe I should go in... It's a chance to see him. _

"I'm not interested in the guy."

_So I say._

"Shut up," Kagura sighed and kept her focus on the elevator. The numbers of the floors were moving again. Someone was coming down and she wondered who it was. It wasn't an exciting game, but at the time she couldn't think of anything else to do until Sango came back. At the moment, even the elevator was seeming entertaining.

_Tells you how bored I am._

The numbers stopped on P1. _Yes! _The door of the elevators open. _No! Of all the people._

The one man she was desperately trying to avoid [which she didn't even understand why] came out. Sesshoumaru Tamaki was wearing a dark blue suit, and with what looked to be a silver satin tie.

_I should...move. _

She had to move, fast. If he so much as turned his head left slightly, he would see her. Kagura quietly opened the door and crouched on the floor. Quietly, making sure her heels weren't clicking she made her way behind Sango's car.

_Wait, that's not right_. His car was going to pass Sango's and he would unquestionably see Kagura facing the car. Then she saw the trunk of the car and smiled while she injected the key in the keyhole opening the trunk. With her back to his car, he wouldn't know it was her. _Unless he has my back memorized...Which is unattainable. _The trunk popped open and she slowly stood up making sure she was hidden. She slouched and pretended to looked for something in the trunk.

She heard a car door open.

_Good. Keep going_, she prayed.

She looked in the trunk and saw that it was full of costumes. What the hell was Sango keeping in this trunk? It was full of shiny, colourful clothes.

_Ugh! Flashy._

Curious, she poked around the trunk. There were also shoes, and wigs to add to the costumes. She forgot about Rin's father when her attention got caught by a pair of purple high heels. They were sparkly, a little too sparkly for her taste but pretty nonetheless.

"Maybe I should ask Sango to lend me these," she whispered to herself.

She brought herself back to the reality and realized that Sesshoumaru Tamaki still hadn't left. What was the man doing in it?

She caught a sight of something beige that looked out of place in the trunk full of shiny costumes. It looked to be polished wood. Curious again, she glided the clothes out of the way and saw a massive boomerang broken in half.

_What the hell?_ It looked like some kind of old fashion weapon. What was Sango doing with this thing? She glided over the smooth wood.

"Oww!" She yelped as something picked her finger. _Okay not so smooth_. A giant splinter of wood was dug in her forefinger which was now bleeding. "Great!"

_So much for being quiet._

Kagura gasped, remembering that she was supposed to be quiet. Did the man hear her scream?

She stood there frozen waiting for the guy to come for what felt like ages. When a car whooshed pass behind her and she let out a sigh of relief.

He hadn't heard her, and now he was gone.

_Good._ She closed the trunk, locked it and was about to walk back to her seat when she slammed into the hard chest of the precise man she was avoiding.

_Curiosity killed the cat._

Sango entered the floor where Kagome worked with Miroku Zana. As soon as that sunk in, she suddenly felt nervous again.

"_Stay strong,"_ Kagura's voice rang in her head.

_Of course._ She straightened her spine and walk to the reception of the floor.

"Excuse me," she said to the sulking looking receptionist. "Can you direct me where Kagome Higurashi works?"

"Keep going straight, last cabin," the woman directed without looking up from the screen.

"Thank you," she followed the directions and noticed a lot of heads turning toward her…mostly male.

"_You're an attractive woman, Sango, you just don't know that," _Kagura's sentence from yesterday came into her head.

She reached Kagome's cabin and saw she wasn't in. She wasn't surprised; they had talked earlier and planned it out. It was weird that she was depending on two women she barely knew. Sure, she worked with Kagura for the past three years but they weren't close. They were acquaintances; they never went deeper into a "relationship". The friendship had been professional, but now knowing her a little Sango realized that she didn't mind being Kagura's friend. Kagura put up this strong front which Sango saw as protection. She was careful to whom she became close with, possibly the result of painful background.

She sat in Kagome's seat, waiting. She was playing with Kagome's pen when Miroku came into the cabin.

_As planned_, she inwardly smirked.

"Oh," his gorgeous eyes scanned her up and down, which she wasn't sure how well it worked since she was sitting in Kagome's chair. "You're not Kagome," he gave her a smile which made her heart jump.

_You're even more attractive in real life._ "If you're looking for Kagome," she surprised herself by sounding calm, even when she was shaking inside. "According to the lady on the left, she's in the copy room."

"I see," he gave her another flirty smile. "Miroku Zana," he offered her his hand.

_I know, and sexy. _Sango pretended to eye the hand for a moment then put her hand in his for a handshake, the hand he kissed a second later. Her heart jumped again. _Total flirt._

"So am I to acknowledge that the beautiful lady in front of me is Kagome's friend?"Another smile.

_Definitely a womanizer._

_The lady who you'll (hopefully) chase after._ "That's right," she said pulling her hand – which was still warm where he'd kissed— out of his hold and standing up. She straightened the skirt knowing the man in front of her was watching her every move.

"Sango!" she watched Kagome come toward them. "Did I make you wait?"

"No, not at all," she looked at the woman. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes," she turned to Miroku. "Miroku, everything is set here so I'll be leaving," she grabbed her purse and looked at Sango. "Let's go."

"It was nice meeting you, Mr. Zana." She said and the both women distanced themselves from the man.

It wasn't until they were in the elevator that she asked. "How did I do?"

"You kicked ass, Sango," Kagome smiled at her. "He _for sure_ will be coming after you."

"Good."

Kagura looked at the man in front of her and tried to recall what he had said instead of staring at his handsome features. It was distracting, especially when he smelled this good; too good to make her forget what he had just said to her.

_Still as handsome as the last time._

"Excuse me?" she asked. That sentence always worked no matter who you were talking to or whatever the situation was.

"I said you screamed," he said calmly watching her face.

_Because some fucking piece of wood cut me. _"Something surprised me," she held up her right forefinger. Correction: her right bloody forefinger.

He looked at her finger then at her face. "Do you need a proper bandage for it?" Kagura couldn't tell if he was actually concerned or not. His face was emotionless that it gave nothing away. Not to mention, his tone was pretty toneless, no sense of emotion or concern in it.

He seemed…like Kikyo. Cold. Especially his eyes, they were icy, just like Kikyo's whose eyes also lacked emotions.

_Are you Kikyo's brother in spirit? _"I have a Band-Aid in my purse," she said moving away from him to open the door that was already open. She hadn't closed the passenger's door. She bent over and searched through the purse set on the seat. She finally found it, pulled it out and stood back up straight. Sesshoumaru was still there.

He held out his left hand, "Hand." He simply said.

Hand?

_OH!_

She held her bloody hand out, which he grasped in his hand.

_Warm,_ she thought almost dazedly. Almost.

He reached into the pocket of his slacks and pulled out a handkerchief with what he cleaned her finger.

_That's almost... sweet. Why is he still here?_

He gently pulled out the splinter which —damnit— it hurt but Kagura didn't let it show. Then he pulled the Band-Aid out of her left hand, opened it and applied it perfectly on her finger. Then he stepped back.

Kagura stared at her finger for a few moments then looked up at the first guy who applied a band-aid on her finger.

"Thank you." She was about to say something else when she heard laughter from left. She turned her head and saw Kagome and Sango coming toward her.

"Hi ya," Kagome waved. Kagura looked at Sesshoumaru again who gave her a nod and disappeared in his car which a few seconds later pulled out of the parking lot, Kagura tried not to stare at the back of the car. "Was that Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked as they reached her.

_You bitches!_ "Yeah," Kagura muttered and got into the car.

"You still haven't said what happened between you and Sesshoumaru," Kagome said and they all sat at Kagura's dining table in the kitchen eating the food she'd cooked the hour earlier.

Sango nodded, "And I have to say, you can _really_ cook."

"I've been cooking as a kid, I'm evident to become good," Kagura answered. "As for your impatience Kagome, he applied a band-aid on my finger." She explained them the whole story. "And Sango, what's with the costumes?"

"They're from the drama thing last year; I never bothered taking them out," Sango explained. "And yes you can borrow the purple heels, you can keep them if you want, they're too sparkly."

"If you wear them right, they're not."

"Okay whatever," Kagome put in. "How do you even know Sesshoumaru?"

"He's the father of her student," Sango said.

"You didn't tell me that Kagura," Kagome pouted cutely.

_Stop mentioning him. _"No one asked. And he never came up in a conversation before," Kagura calmly replied. "How's the thing with Inuyasha going?" she asked to get the attention away from her.

"What you mean going? It's on the same line. I don't know if he interested. If he is, he sure hadn't asked me out yet. I'm not sure if he realized that I'm interested in him," Kagome sighed.

"Maybe he's one of those guys who don't realize these kinds of things," Sango put in. "Maybe he's dense in that category."

"I'm starting to believe that actually. Yesterday, this woman came in and was giving him flirty looks that clearly said 'ask me out', everyone noticed it _except_ him. He looked at everyone with the what's-going-on look," Kagome sipped her water. "I'm starting to think he's one of those guys who don't realize that the girl is interested unless that woman comes up to him and says, 'I like you, ask me out'," Kagura laughed.

"That's so Sara. Straightforward," Sango nodded.

"I'm sure he'll realize his true feeling once you're gone from the place," Sango said.

"True," Kagura nodded. "If he notices your absence, then he's missing you. If not, you're out of luck."

"I guess we'll see then," Kagome sighed.

"I guess so," both Sango and Kagura said.

That night, Kagura dreamed of a certain silver haired man. Sango slept in happiness and Kagome tossed and turned.


	3. Dreadful Days

A Slice of Life

- - - - -  
Chapter three: Dreadful Days  
- - - - -

"Remember class," Kagura said two days after the band-aid incident. "The parent- teacher interviews are next week, all of you who haven't brought in your sheet yet, do it soon. It's written in your agendas to show it to your parents," after a few seconds the school bell rang and the kids rushed out of the class as if the classroom was on fire. It always surprised Kagura how fast the class emptied in just twenty seconds.

Kagura finished her work in the class, locked the door, and then headed toward the office. The secretary, Tsuyu, was a nice girl in her middle twenties. But even the nicest people sometimes annoyed the hell out of her. How could anyone be so nice? For Kagura, it was like they were asking other people to screw them over.

"Tsuyu, why haven't I received the personal info sheets of my class?" Kagura asked her, she was supposed to have it received by the end of last week.

"Oh, I'm sorry I thought I delivered them all," she opened a drawer. "Yup, there it is. I'm sorry I missed yours," she handed Kagura the big envelope.

_Of course you missed mine, everyone got theirs on the third day, _instead she said. "No worries," Kagura took the envelope that had her name written on it. She gave the woman a smile and left the office. When she entered the staff room, she headed straight for her desk and sat down in her chair. She pulled out the thirty different sheets of paper and flipped through until she spotted the one she was looking for.

_Karin Tamaki.  
Preferred Name: Rin  
Age: 7  
Sex: Female  
B.O.D: November 23, 2001.  
Current Grade: 4_

The first side of the page was mostly about Rin, Kagura turned the page for parent info.

_Parent/Guardian:_

_Sesshoumaru Tamaki.  
Relationship: Father  
Phone number: … Home: …Work:…Cell:…_

No record of a mother. So he wasn't married? Or was he divorced? The divorce rate was pretty high in today's society.

"Sesshoumaru Tamaki huh?" Sango said from behind her. "You have taken quite an interest in that man." Sango pulled out a chair and sat beside Kagura at her desk. "Sara did too for a while last year. Then gave up."

"Why?" Kagura asked, interested.

"He was apparently 'too cold and too uninterested'," Sango smiled. "Her words."

"Probably a rule not to date his child's teacher," Kagura slipped the papers back into the envelope.

"That rules you out, friend," Sango studied her.

_Excuse me, he just didn't like Sara. _"Puh-lease, I'm not _going_ to date him. I have my own rules too."

"But if he wasn't a father of your student, would you then?"

_Then I would have known by now whether he was good in bed or not. _"I don't know. I can't decide if I want to or not. He seems cold, but he did help me with the band-aid," Kagura sighed. "But that's not enough for me to decide. I choose my men very carefully."

"To avoid heartbreaks?"

_In case it gets serious…_"Mostly to avoid a horrid personality that is," Kagura sighed again.

"It doesn't mean every guy you date will be like that or a serious path for you."

_Did you just read my mind? _"Yeah," she put the envelope in the drawer. "It's good to be prepared. Can you give me a ride home?"

"Seriously, when is your car ready?"

_When I go see if it's ready. _"I donno, the problem is in the brakes."

"Okay," Sango stood. "Let's go then."

Kagome parked her car in the parking lot behind her apartment building and got out. What a boring day. Inuyasha wouldn't even acknowledge that she existed in his world.

_Dense idiot._

She entered her apartment, freshened up and was cooking when she heard a buzz at her com. She went to the speaker and pressed the button to talk.

"Hello?"

"Kagome HIgusrashi?" A man's voice sounded.

"Yes?" _Who would come at this hour?_ She looked her watch, it was almost six o'clock. "Can I help you?"

"Got a delivery for you."

Delivery? _At this time?_

"Okay, come on up," she buzzed him in. "It's 2B." Seconds later she heard a knock on her apartment door and opened up. A man was carrying what seemed to be a dozen red roses.

"For you, Miss," he handed her the bouquet, the plastic wrap making sound as she grabbed it. Then without another word, the man left the building. She looked at the bouquet and pulled out the card stuck between the flowers.

_Hope you like the roses. _

That's it? _Hope you like roses?_ No initial, no name.

"My life is complicated enough, I don't need this shit," she put the flowers on the coffee table and grabbed the wireless phone from its cradle. Kagura picked up on the second ring, before she could talk, Kagome ranted. "'Hope you like the roses.' That's the last thing a woman wants to read on the card she gets with flowers. This person sent me red roses, I don't even like roses. Pink okay but… ugh! And this person didn't even bother _writing_ on the card. It's typed up with no name whatsoever. Not even any initials!"

"Are you done?" her friend asked, sounding bored.

"Yes, I'm done. What's with the mystery? Do I look like a woman who wants to guess from whom she received flowers from?" Kagome asked annoyed.

"Kagome," Kagura sighed. "It's not a big deal. If you don't like them, throw them away. Why do you stress over the smallest things?"

"I'm not stressed, I'm annoyed."

"Well, whichever it is. Do what makes you feel better. Stop hassling."

"Right," Kagome nodded. "I'm going to finish cooking. Bye."

"Bye." They both hung up and Kagome grabbed the bouquet from the table, went into the kitchen and stood over the trash can. After a few long moments, she sighed and threw the flowers in the can.

If he didn't have the guts to write his name, why should she bother keeping them when she didn't know who sent them? She was done being the girl who got excited over flowers, thinking nights and days over who sent them.

_To hell with it. _

The card joined the flowers in the garbage seconds later.

"Hey Kagome, what do you say? Do women like it when a guy sends them flowers?" Miroku asked Kagome as they all sat in the conference room to discuss the last elements before Kagome left. Today was her last day; it had been two days since she had received the flowers. Inuyasha was also present in the room.

_Why are you asking me? _That was what she wanted to shout at him but instead she said: "Excuse me?" Annoyed. The subject of flowers now got her annoyed every time, even when it wasn't a big deal. Kagome knew she was making it a big deal but she couldn't help it. Which idiot sent flowers to a woman without letting her know who he was? Not all women liked the mysterious auras, Kagome liked her life simple.

"Do women like flowers?" he repeated.

"I'm ONE woman. I don't know what all women like," Kagome was going to leave it at that but she didn't know what came into her, she continued. "But if you are going to send a woman _flowers, _make sure you write _who_ you are on the _card_," the last sentence came through her gritted teeth.

"Someone sent you flowers like that?" A woman in the conference room asked. Kagome didn't know her.

First she decided not to answer but then she wanted to shout this to someone. She couldn't complain to Kagura since she would tell her she's crazy, which she was probably right about.

"No," Kagome said in a normal steady tone. "I was just saying that don't do that. Not everyone digs the mystery." She turned to Miroku. "If you do plan on sending someone flowers, make sure you _handwrite_ it, don't type it with a corny message like 'hope you like the flowers'. And write your name, you're not in high school. There's nothing to be afraid of," Everyone in the room now looked interested. Whatever, today was her last day, she could piss in it. "I admit, that something like that was fun in high school, guessing your secret admirer. Who has time in their adult life to fuss over who sent the flowers? In that case, you just move on and the flowers end up in a trash bin."

_I'm making too big of a deal out of this but I can't help it!_

"Do you ladies ever want to receive anything like that?" Women in the room shook their heads where the men stared at her with wide eyes. "Does it look like _we_ women want to play this game? Personally, I like straight forward men. I don't want to sit there for ten years wondering if that a guy is interested in me. How old are we, ten?"

"I agree with you!" This came from the blonde woman across from her.

"Yeah, they think it's fun to play like that," this one from some redhead. "Women do not like challenges. We like a simple, clean way."

"Some do like it, but that doesn't mean, every woman is like that," the blonde again.

"And the fact when they send you flowers you don't even like," the very first woman said. "They expect everyone to like roses. Can they not first ask the woman what she likes?" The conversation continued but Kagome didn't hear the rest. Her gaze landed on Inuyasha on the far head on the table. He was staring at her with an amused, annoyed, or surprised look; Kagome couldn't tell which one was right.

She stood up, ignoring him. One month near that man and he couldn't see that she wanted him.

She muttered an 'excuse me' and left the room.

To hell with him, she had had it with that man!

Kaguralooked at her younger sister—with almost seven years age difference between them—sitting on the sofa in her living room. Unlike Kagura, Kanna was born with white-silver hair and dark eyes which she never figured out if they were either black or very dark brown. Her twin Hakudouki also had same hair except he was possessed with purple eyes.

"What is it this time?" Kagura asked as she handed the twenty-year old a glass of orange juice. Where Haku was loud and obnoxious, Kanna was quiet, stoic and—Kagura hated describing her sister like this but—cold. She wasn't sure if Kanna was exactly cold or just composed. "Everything okay at the campus? How's your studying going?" Kanna was doing the nursing course.

"I couldn't find a room this year," she drank her juice. She still wore the white lily pins Kagura had gave her for her tenth birthday.

"Okay," Kagura took her appearance in; she looked thinner. Kanna and Haku had been eleven when Kagura had moved out and had gone to a college out of the city. Naraku , their father, was abusive and Kagura waited almost eight years to get away from him. Their mother had left the bastard when Kanna was eight, Kagura didn't blame the woman. When she had moved into a dorm Naraku had found her, but luckily thanks to her kickboxing class he had gone home with bruises. That was the last she had seen of him. He had died two years ago and made the twins' life easier. "Why don't you move in with me?" Kagura asked for the thousandth time. "There's a bedroom you know I never use. It's there for you."

"Will that be…okay?" Kanna looked at the glass she was holding. It was the least Kagura could do. After all, she felt guilty for abandoning those two. Even when they'd said they understood why she'd left, Kagura knew they still despised her for leaving them with such a bastard-of-a-father.

"Of course," Kanna could only come to her, that Kagura knew. Their mother was a stranger, her whereabouts unknown. Hakudoushi was in military school which she didn't really understand why. When she'd questioned him about his choice, he'd merely shrugged saying: "I get to blow things up." When she'd suggested him joining police academy he'd looked at her like she'd grown another head. "Nothin' else I can do," he'd said. _That_ Kagura understood. He hadn't studied at all in high school, unlike Kanna. With his bad marks, there weren't many options for him.

"Do you still have your furniture?" Kanna gave her a nod. "Well why don't we move that in tomorrow or on Sunday? It's the weekend after all. You can share my bed in the meanwhile, I don't mind. You hungry?" Another nod. Kagura nodded and went into the kitchen to cook something for both of them.

"Kagura," Kanna said from behind her. "Thank you."

"Is it just me or is _every_one _ex_cited about the parent-teacher _ni_ght?" Sara's voice rang in the staff room.

"You're kidding right?" Kagura stared at her just like everyone else did in the staff room. The teachers hated the parent-teacher interviews where more bitchy parents found some reasons to bitch at the teachers. It didn't help that it always took place at night on a weekday after school when everyone was already beat from the normal school day.

"How can you be _ex_cited about meeting the parents?" Sango asked looking confused.

"I am not excited about meeting the _parents_," she snapped, then smiled. "I'm _excited_ about meeting _hot_ single _dads_," she pulled out a piece of paper. "This list here contains the name of every single dad coming to interview today or tomorrow," she laughed excitedly.

Everyone in the staffroom rolled their eyes. TSB: Typical Sara Behaviour.

"Just because it says they're not married," Bankotsu spoke up, "doesn't mean they _are_ single."

"I wouldn't mind meeting a few single mothers myself," this one was from Kouga, although everyone ignored him.

"Sara, not this year _again_," Mutotsu said.

"Does this list also include the men who rejected you?" This one was from Kikyo.

Kagura expected Sara to be angry at that phrase, but apparently she was too excited to get angry.

"Of course not," Sara smiled. "I bet they are all regretting that they rejected me, but whatever. I _do not_ look back," Kagura turned her face away to hide her grin. Sara had such a complex character. Kagura never understood her, but she doubt anyone in the staff did.

Kagura wasn't sure how she felt about this night. She was so tired that she had a feeling that she would pass out in someone's lap. Even if she did, she wouldn't be surprised. Kagura had a history of sleep deprivation and with the amount of sleep that she didn't get the weekend; she was for sure heading toward the passing-out-in-someone's-lap. To add more trouble, the whole night had the chance of her seeing Sesshoumauru Tamaki.

_I'm too tired to deal with drama. One thing at a time would be nice._ Kagura sighed loudly.

"You okay?" Sango asked.

"Huh?" Kagura posed. "Yeah. Just tired," Sango nodded in agreement.

"So is it tonight or tomorrow?" Sango asked when everyone left the staff room to their classrooms where meeting the parents was taking place. "Your interview with _him_."

"Tonight, eight-fifteen."

"Excited?"

_I might be if I weren't so damn tired. _"I don't know," Kagura sighed. "What about you? Any response from the womanizer?"

"No."

"Sad?"

"Not exactly. I'm more disappointed than anything. But now if I don't get a call back from him, at least I won't be doing the whole '_if only I had introduced myself'_ thing. Are you sure you're okay? You seem _exhausted_," Sango studied her.

_That's because I am. _"The weekend was tiring. My sister moved in with me, finally. She wouldn't before because she thought she would be a burden, financially. She lived in the…_God!_ I can't even remember the words. She lived in residence at her school."

"Ah."

"Yeah, it was mostly moving furniture. Tiring shit and then I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking about whether she was really okay to live under the same roof as me. I wasn't exactly a good sister, you know."

Sango nodded. "Don't worry, you'll do great. You're a pretty soft on the inside, though you wouldn't admit that," Sango looked at the watch. "Let's go, it's time."

By the time it was eight-fifteen, Kagura no longer cared about Rin's dad coming in; she was exhausted that he vision was starting to get fuzzy. She could barely talk even though when she'd looked in the mirror, she looked fine; she didn't feel fine. She felt as if she was hit by a huge meteor, so tired that she could barely feel her arms or her legs –they'd gone numb exactly an hour ago . Her arms felt so heavy that moving her fingers required great effort.

If her physical state wasn't the problem at this moment, then the parents would be. There were about eight parents who, it seemed, had just come today to vent their anger out on _someone_. That someone being Kagura.

Sesshoumaru Tamaki was her next and last parent for the day; actually he was the last parent. All the parents–for some odd reason– had decided to sign up for today, of all days. About thirty parents in about three hours, how fun.

Most of the staff had gone home, only Sango stayed because… Kagura couldn't even remember why, she could barely keep her eyes open.

_Great. _

Someone came into the classroom; it had to be Sesshoumaru Tamaki when Kagura looked to see who it was. She shook his hand—surprisingly, considering she could barely see straight– and introduced herself which had smoothly since she had done it so many times in the past three hours.

He sat down across from her on the other side of her desk. His mouth moved, he said something. Something Kagura didn't quite hear since her ears had starting ringing loudly.

"You have a great kid," Kagura started. "I don't really know what to say. Also, I have _no_ idea what you've just said, so I can't really _an_swer you."

_Stop it woman, stop it._

"Of all days, the parents—that's like thirty parents—_all _booked for _to_day. I'm not blaming you or _any_thing; it's just... what's with _that_? Did they all decide to gang up on me to make my night hell? I'm the _only_ left in the school," Kagura let out a humourless laugh as her vision got blurrier –if that was even possible.

_Stop it!_ _Stop screwing it up._

"I'm exhausted. If I could find a different word, I would. But I can't really. I can't even think anymore. And what's with the parents? They come to me and say: 'Tell me about my kid'. But the thing is, whatever you say to them is _never_ _en_ough. Never! Like I'm going to learn everything about my students in two weeks. In mere two weeks, two weeks. I see them for an hour every day. That's about … I don't want to think. I _can't_ think."

_Stop it!_

"How many hours is that? I don't care about anything this moment. Everyone decides to drop the bomb at the same time. I want to sleep, I want to go home. I'm stuck here in this school, at this hour, alone with probably…probably alone…alone…" was the last thing she said before she blacked out and hit her head on her desk.

**Will update up to the seventh chapter when I'm done editing all four chapters.**


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